We adopt the wisdom of experienced gardeners - then plant garlic before winter and which predecessors can harm

If you plan to grow garlic, then you need to do this not in the spring, but in the fall, after collecting the main crop from the garden. Garlic planted before winter will have strong heads and large cloves.

First of all, you need to decide on the place where you plan to arrange the beds for this vegetable. In this article we will look at the basic rules for soil selection, we will pay attention to some of the subtleties. They will help you grow and harvest a rich harvest of garlic.

What is crop rotation?

Crop rotation is the alternation of planting crops. Experienced gardeners do not advise planting the same crops on the same plot of land for a long time. You also need to know after which plants you can plant your chosen vegetable.

Benefits from correct crop rotation:

• its fertility increases;
• the quality and productivity of the crops grown is improving;
• plants are less susceptible to diseases and pests.

It must be remembered that related plants absorb the same nutrients from the soil, and the roots release specific toxins into the ground, which can greatly reduce the quality of the substrate for closely related plants. When planting without interruption in the same place, a similar crop will experience a lack of nutrition. This will negatively affect its vegetation and fruiting.

Then plant the garlic

For garlic to grow well and develop properly, the soil must contain a certain set of substances. Cereals are considered one of the best precursors of garlic when planted before winter.except for barley and oats. Cereals have green manure plants. They have a well-developed root system, therefore, a sufficient amount of nitrogen compounds necessary for garlic nutrition accumulates in the soil.

Comfortable predecessors for this vegetable are also considered squash, zucchini and pumpkin.

Important. In the beds located next to the bushes of strawberries, currants, wild strawberries, there is a place with ideal soil for garlic culture.

All plants with long roots are good precursors for garlic. They absorb nutrients from the deep layers of the soil and cannot harm the bulbous crop.

Peas, beans, potatoes, and cabbage consume the same nutrients from the soil as garlic. Planting cloves before winter in the soil on which these vegetables grew is not recommended.

The most undesirable precursor of garlic in the garden is its relative, the onion. It has the same short root system, absorbing the same nutrients from the soil. The earth is depleted, dangerous ones accumulate in it pests... For example, the bulbous nematode. Recommends to disinfect the soil before planting or give it a rest.

Soil preparation

Having studied all the intricacies of crop rotation, you can start choosing a place and forming beds. Garlic loves sandy loam and loamy soils with a neutral acidity level. If the land in your garden is not suitable for this criterion, then you can reduce its "acidity" by adding ash, chalk or slaked lime solution.

Attention. Failure to comply with the rules of crop rotation and inappropriate soil composition will lead to a decrease in the quantity and quality of the crop of this vegetable crop.

The beds are formed 15-20 cm high and 1 m wide. They are allowed to settle so that the dug earth settles. In dry autumn, to speed up this process, the soil is watered abundantly several times. It is recommended to choose a place by the fence. This will save from blowing snow and allow the ice crust to remain on the soil longer.

To protect the future harvest from diseases, the formed bed is treated with a solution of copper sulfate with a concentration of 1%. Before planting garlic, urea is scattered on the soil and spilled with water. 15-20 g of substance is enough for 1 sq. m.

When preparing garlic for planting, it is necessary to disassemble large heads into cloves, identify and remove the affected and damaged elements, disinfect the material by soaking in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 24 hours.

Important. Try to choose the largest teeth for planting.

Garlic is planted before winter in two ways:

1. Two weeks before the first frost to a depth of 2-3 cm. For warm southern regions, this is mid-November, and for the middle zone - late September-early October.
2. From the end of August until the onset of winter cold weather, the cloves are planted to a depth of 10 cm. This method is preferred by many summer residents. It is believed that the vegetable tolerates frost better and takes root more firmly.

Moisten the soil before planting in any way. Squeezing garlic into the ground is not recommended. This can disrupt the rooting process. Holes of the selected depth are dug on the prepared beds. The distance between the holes should be at least 10 cm, between the rows - 25 cm. The cloves are laid out in prepared places and covered with earth and compost.

Experienced agronomist tips

For planting before winter, it is recommended to choose special varieties: Gribovsky, Petrovsky, Komsomolets.

Experienced summer residents advise mulching the beds with plantings for the cold season. For this, fallen leaves, conifer needles, peat are best suited. The thickness of the covering layer is at least 10-15 cm.

With the onset of heat, the mulch is removed. After the appearance of the first shoots, it is recommended to feed the seedlings with nitrogen fertilizers... At the end of June, it is necessary to remove the formed arrows and feed the culture with ash.

Output

Following the recommendations proposed in our article and observing the simple rules of planting and care, even a novice gardener will get a decent harvest of garlic. The main thing is to choose and prepare the soil correctly and choose a suitable variety for planting before winter.